Australia v Pakistan, 2nd T20I, Canberra: Preview, likely XIs, prediction

Australia and Pakistan will go again in Canberra after rain played spoilsport and forced abandonment in Sydney in the first T20I of the three-match series.

It was a wet day in Sydney on Sunday, with only 18.1 overs of play possible. In that time, Pakistan scored 107/5 in the first innings, truncated to 15 overs, and Australia’s target was revised to 119 from 15 overs. They made a capable start towards reaching that seemingly difficult target, with Aaron Finch scoring a 16-ball 37*, but with 11 balls still needed to reach the cut-off mark of five overs – Australia were well ahead of the par score of 33 – the match was called off.

Since then, Finch has been vocal about his disappointment that, despite the match being affected by rain, the interval time was still 20 minutes. He believes had that time been utilised for play, it would have constituted a match, and Australia would have gone on to win. While there is little he can do about it, the development has added spice to the series.

In Canberra, therefore, it’ll be Australia attempting to continue on their recent supreme streak in T20Is. Finch and Warner are in terrific form at the top, and the bowlers have buzzing in a unit. Pakistan will need something special, and their likeliest candidate to do that seems to be Babar Azam.

Their new T20I captain scored a fine 38-ball 59* in the first innings to lead Pakistan’s innings, and he will need to do more of that in Canberra if Pakistan are to put Australia back in their place. Canberra should be interesting.

Head to head

This is one rivalry dominated by Pakistan. In 21 matches, Pakistan have come out as winners 12 times. Australia have only won 7 T20Is against Pakistan, and are win-less in six matches. Their last victory over Pakistan in a T20I came in July 2018 in Harare.

Key players

Aaron Finch (Australia): The Australia captain seems to be in stellar form, and the way he went after Mohammad Irfan’s second over in Sydney – it cost 26 runs – the Pakistan bowlers will have got that message. They need to dismiss him early if they are to stand a chance in Canberra.

Babar Azam (Pakistan): The good thing about Azam’s half-century in the first T20I was proof that captaincy rests easily on his shoulders. Azam’s riveting half-century holds Pakistan in great stead, and with the opening match out of the way and the jitters – if any – dealt with, chances are he will be even more lethal in the second T20I.

Likely XIs

Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Steve Smith, Ben McDermott, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Iftikhar Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan

Prediction

This is a potential thriller. Australia to edge it, based on recent form and home comforts.